At Leaf Fall
by Lima Bean Nightmare
Summary: What if Leafpaw had died on the journey to the lake? And what if she walked in SkyClan's skies rather than with StarClan? Leafpaw has been summoned by Cloudstar, the former leader of Skyclan, to help his clan once again. What can one measly medicine cat apprentice do though? With Echosong and Leafstar, Leafpaw must find out what threatens the lives of these struggling cats.


**Okay, so this is an AU where Leafpool died on the journey to the lake, but she is called to SkyClan for some odd, odd reason. SkyClan needs her guidance, and her help to save the clan. The only way she can help is to lead Leafstar and Echosong. I will show how the Clans are faring without their lovely Medicine Cat apprentice, it'll just mainly focus on Leafpool's journey (she will be called Leafpaw).**

**Prologue**

_Leafpaw climbed by her mentor, Cinderpelt, up the treacherous mountain path,_ her dainty paws' becoming rough and sore. She looked around the barren land, not daring to say a word of her sore paws. The chill was pushing through her thick coat, so she pressed close to her mentor. The craggy cliffs and ledges made the path more dangerous, and she was homesick for trees and undergrowth. All around her, Leafpaw could hear the muttering of the clan cats, the complaints and musings. Silently she prayed to StarClan to lead them safely to their new home.

Cats started to become nervous when the path started to thin out, they started to flank the rock wall. Leafpaw looked over the edge of the path and gulped as she watched a pebble bounce into never-ending rock. Somewhere ahead, a yowl warned the others of danger ahead. The small she-cat didn't know what the noise was about, so she tried to crane her neck to see. Quickly, she drew back to avoid falling off, she watched the disturbed rocks tumble over the edge, she drew a breath and continued trudging along behind Cinderpelt.

She thought about her mentor, Leafpaw wondered if Cinderpelt had continued on her original path if Firestar would have chosen her as his mate. They had been very close, before the journey to their new home. Cinderpelt had always spoke fondly of the ginger tom, always told Leafpaw tales of her father. She supposes that it was for the better that Cinderpelt not take Sandstorm's place, after all, Squirrelpaw had been crucial to the journey to the Sundrown place. Leafpaw felt a growing unease, and she knew that the cats surrounding her couldn't feel it. So she took a deep breath and cautiously began to walk closer to the wall.

The Clans made their way through the mountains slowly, and gradually the path widened back out. The cats began to walk by each other again, Cinderpelt seemed to sense her apprentice's unease, so she let Leafpaw take the wall. This did nothing to ease her fears, she was beginning to feel panicked and she felt cold dread pour over her. Leafpaw glanced ahead, trying to catch sight of her sister, or anyone really. The fur on her neck was prickling, and she could feel the cats behind her staring at her. Cinderpelt looked at her sharply.

"Leafpaw!" She hissed. "What in StarClan's name is going on?"

"I- I don't know, I just feel uneasy," Leafpaw muttered apologetically.

"Don't let the other ca-" Cinderpelt was cut off short when Leafpaw pushed her forward sharply.

Leafpaw stayed there, looking directly at Cinderpelt, her amber eyes filled with terror and confusion. Cinderpelt looked at her oddly, concern and fear pooled in her eyes. The cats behind Leafpaw looked at her crossly, yowling at her to move forward. Above, a loud crumbling noise was heard, followed by a thundering crack. Cats began to move back.

"Leafpaw! Come on!" Cinderpelt yowled, watching in horror as the boulder tumbled towards the small cat. "You still have time! Move! Leafpaw!"

"Cinderpelt, I can't move," Leafpaw whsipered, her eyes wide with fear. "Don't let me be forgotten, please."

Cinderpelt watched in horror as the boulder crushed Leafpaw, a pained yowl coming from underneath it. Cats flinched back, yowling in fear, and grief, Cinderpelt just stood there in shock. As the boulder rolled off, with Leafpaw still in tow, Cinderpelt caught sight of a mangled white paw, and a glazed eye, bleeding, before falling away into the mountain side below. A sudden yowl sounded towards the front, and before long a lithe orange cat pushed through the crowd. She looked at Cinderpelt in horror and anger.

"You let my sister die!" Squirrelpaw yowled. "How could you? She's your apprentice!"

Cinderpelt just stared past her, Leafpaw knew she was about to die. She couldn't move, she saved Cinderpelt, and the other cats.

"Where is your father?" Cinderpelt asked, but it sounded flat.

"I'm here," Firestar said, flanked by Sandstorm.

"I'd like to give Leafpaw her medicine cat name," Cinderpelt rasped. "Leaf-fall."

"As you wish," Firestar sounded like he had been struck. "Spirits of StarClan, you know every cat by name. I ask you now to take away the name from the cat you see before you, for it no longer stands for what she is. By my authority as Clan leader, and with the approval of our warrior ancestors, I give this cat a new name. From this moment on she will be known as Leaf-fall, for her bravery in protecting her mentor, may she walk with StarClan."

The last part was said so quietly that only Cinderpelt and Sandstorm heard it. This had crushed the poor tom's heart, to rename his daughter in death, and poor Sandstorm. Her first-born never even got to see adulthood.

The journey continued in mournful silence, not one cat dared to break the silence.

**So that's the end of that! Hope you enjoyed, please review and tell me what you think!**


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